California is thinking about banning bags - paper or plastic- that stores use to pack customer's groceries:Assembly Bill Would Ban Free Bags At California Grocery Stores, San Jose Mercury News, June 26
They say it generates unnecessary waste. Surely, if you need a bag they oblige, for a fee.
What do you think? Ban bags? I think it's a good idea.
14 comments:
Yes, ban bags, and offer sturdy canvas bags that can be washed and dried - wasn't it this week that study results showed high bacteria rates inside reusable bags?
The non-woven bags fall apart in the washer.
Here is a simple grocery tote, made from a gently used t-shirt: http://pm-betweenthelines.blogspot.com/2010/03/quick-fix-grocery-bag-tutorial.html
Absolutely we can do this. It's almost a "free lunch" in terms of impact on our lives, and many shops in eastern europe have always been charging for bags, just because they aren't as wealthy as we are.
Totally agree--now I just have to remember to take my cloth bags w/ me to the store. Consider how plastic bags, beside being made w/ petroleum products, contribute to other plastic pollution in the Atlantic gyre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVXTNpTs32M
In the six months since Washington DC implemented a five-cent tax on bags, it seems that everyone has adopted quite well. There were bag distributions for the poor, and everybody else appears to use their own or buy a very small number of plastic bags. I even remember the reusable bags as I leave the house now! Fees go to clean up the local river.
Yes, ban bags! I've been using my own bags for years, it just makes sense for the environment. I know that the local Wal-Mart doesn't have any plastic bags, so you have to buy the reusable bags. I think all Wal-Marts are going that route. ;) peace
Your Walmart doesn't have plastic bags? How about that. Good for them.
virginia, I saw that about reusable bags and bacteria. When I think of all the dirt and fingerprints and smelly stuff on the outside of food packages anyway, it makes me think that story was just a plant by the bag-making chemical industry to suppress this idea.
Love that tee shirt bag! I bet you could get really creative with bags.
What we believe is required here in the UK is a lifestyle change.
More people have to adopt the 'habit' of taking their jute/tote/cotton bag to do the grocery shopping. And it's that simple!
The bag designer lives in France, and I think everyone there uses totes/baskets for shopping.
She creates all sorts of bags, with tutorials. Fabulous photos, too. Once upon a time, she was an economist.
Washable bags, recycled paper egg cartons and old-school butcher paper.
virginia, I use this old canvas beach tote. It's great but so dull, all beige. It needs your color sense. (I can see you selling designer grocery bags.)
Hey, thanks. Maybe I'll use my "old" reciprocity symbol.
Sew a clear plastic pocket on the outside of your canvas one, and tuck an image inside it. One of yours, or one of mine, or a print-out of the paleo-vegetarian diet etc - whoops, then you would no longer be anonymous.
virginia, believe it or not I think that's a great idea - a PaleoVeg bag! In fact it's the bag I use for potatoes, squash, and other produce because they're so heavy, and this bag is quite substantial. omg I'm lovin' this.
The pushback here will be the people who rag about a nanny state.
Those who decry a nanny state do seem to favor less government. But what do you do when business doesn't take the initiative?
Capitalism and public health (or environmental health) don't mix well.
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